Robert Reich. (photo: Perian Flaherty)
almart
has undertaken secret surveillance of employees suspected of wanting to
form a union – hiring an intelligence-gathering service from Lockheed
Martin, contacting the FBI, staffing up its labor hotline, ranking
stores by labor activity, and keeping tabs on employee activists. The
details (published by Bloomberg Businessweek, below) are part of a case
before the National Labor Relations Board alleging illegal retaliation
against Walmart employees who have pushed for a union.The case should be decided within a few months.
This Friday, in addition to the strikes and protests outside Walmart parking lots that have marked the last three Black Fridays, organizers are mounting a nationwide food drive for Walmart workers in 1,000 cities and towns who are unable to make ends meet on wages that start at $9 an hour. The goal is to feed 100,000 Walmart workers and their families in all 50 states.
No American who works full time should be in poverty. As America’s largest employer, Walmart should be a model for other employers. Instead, it continues to lead the race to the bottom.
What do you think?
Comments
+30
#
2015-11-29 16:03
What do I think? I think I will never shop there, added to the fact that I have not shopped there in 10 years.
That is more than what I think. It is what I will do .
Robert, you need to go beyond thinking, the question is, What can we do?
That is more than what I think. It is what I will do .
Robert, you need to go beyond thinking, the question is, What can we do?
+26
#
2015-11-29 23:06
Quoting PeacefulGarden:
Likewise, I have not been in a Wal-Mart since 2002 and I plan never to enter one again.
The other things we can do are 1) convince others to avoid Wal-Mart as well, 2) stand with Wal-Mart strikers when they picket the stores and support them with food, coffee and whatever else they need while picketing, 3) write your congressmen and state representatives and demand that they reverse the anti-union legislation imposed over the past 30 years and finally 4) only vote for politicians who fully support unions.
You could also enter the store, request to see the manager, tell him/her you fully support the strikers, flip him/her the bird and walk out.
What do I think? I think I will never shop there, added to the fact that I have not shopped there in 10 years.
That is more than what I think. It is what I will do .
Robert, you need to go beyond thinking, the question is, What can we do?
Likewise, I have not been in a Wal-Mart since 2002 and I plan never to enter one again.
The other things we can do are 1) convince others to avoid Wal-Mart as well, 2) stand with Wal-Mart strikers when they picket the stores and support them with food, coffee and whatever else they need while picketing, 3) write your congressmen and state representatives and demand that they reverse the anti-union legislation imposed over the past 30 years and finally 4) only vote for politicians who fully support unions.
You could also enter the store, request to see the manager, tell him/her you fully support the strikers, flip him/her the bird and walk out.
+27
#
2015-11-29 23:25
Agreed. I personally
tire of reading 'thoughts' on the issue. We KNOW the problem. The only
real step towards a solution that has actually been presented, a man
named Bernie who has offered to run for President and who has promised
to do the very same things he has done his whole life, attempt to change
policies that allow corporations to rule the roost and we have people
who don't seem to 'get it'. I really wish I could snap my fingers and
wake some people up from the daze they appear to be in and say, "hey"!
Voting is not a damned popularity contest and it is not based on who can
be the most witty during a debate. Why in the world would anyone
willingly throw away the only chance we've had in a long long time to
actually elect someone with the balls to stand up to the fascist system
we've morphed into? Phew, sorry bout that, I turned a reply to say I
agreed with your post into a big rant. Thanks, I needed that ; )
+5
#
2015-11-30 06:05
Don't think we can do
much, besides sending WalMart 'biggies' a message via our commitment to
never/ever shop there again, until union membership by their employees
is in place (ain't holding my breath).
However, NLRB, National Labor Relations Board, can (and let's hope will) be able to do a whole, whole lot, on this egregious one. I will never stop being impressed by and thankful to the NLRB for what it did to assist me in a similar anti-unionizing mess that came my way in the 80's. NLRB took our 'no unions allowed' case against the YMCA all the way to the Supreme Court, and we YMCA employees prevailed. So.....
HANG IN THERE, WALMART EMPLOYEES - GREED AND NEED FOR POWER OVER ALL CAN BE OVERCOME !
However, NLRB, National Labor Relations Board, can (and let's hope will) be able to do a whole, whole lot, on this egregious one. I will never stop being impressed by and thankful to the NLRB for what it did to assist me in a similar anti-unionizing mess that came my way in the 80's. NLRB took our 'no unions allowed' case against the YMCA all the way to the Supreme Court, and we YMCA employees prevailed. So.....
HANG IN THERE, WALMART EMPLOYEES - GREED AND NEED FOR POWER OVER ALL CAN BE OVERCOME !
0
#
2015-11-30 11:45
I have met a couple
of the Walton family. Aside from one or two being out and out racists
(try talking the bible with them where they believe that God made people
of color so as to be slaves to white people), they are typical
republicans and could care less about the "others".
I think they need to be tried for treason because of how many American jobs they forced over seas thus weakening my country.
I think they need to be tried for treason because of how many American jobs they forced over seas thus weakening my country.
+25
#
2015-11-29 23:13
I don't shop at
Walmart, nor purchase anything from their online service. If you don't
like Walmart, don't shop there. I do support their employees rights to
unionize and for a $15.00 per hour minimum wage.
